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We purchased a house that needs some TLC, so life has been a little crazy. One of the tasks we needed to get done was to have the carpets replaced. We thought this would be a simple task, but not so.

We decided on a store and a carpet sample, then we scheduled them to do their thing. But after talking with an employee of the same store and an employee with another carpet store, we realized there were a few hundred dollars worth of hidden charges that we were not aware of on the front end of the deal. We felt tricked and very angry. Needless to say we quickly cancelled the deal and went with a different company.

In this process, I thought about how ministry volunteers must feel when they’re hit with the hidden costs of serving. I know that I’ve been guilty of sugar coating time commitments, understating expectations, and making a short list of duties while recruiting them, only to expect more after they’re onboard.

As we recruit ministry partners for the fall, are we being clear about the expectations, commitments, and duties? Are we setting the bar high enough to make it clear that their roles have eternal significance?

We’re asking more of our leaders in this coming year, and I want to be clear about those expectations so that no one feels tricked later. We may lose a few commitments because of the higher demands. But I think the strategy is worthwhile because eternity truly is at stake. In the end, no one wants to be tricked into serving. If we’ll cast a clear vision for how they can be a part of what God is doing, then they will be willing to pay the extra costs of serving.